


The Great American Pastime

by teddytherobot



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Fluff, M/M, shameless self-insert character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-22 05:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11961075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teddytherobot/pseuds/teddytherobot
Summary: Baseball was very different before the war.  Sole Survivor Teddy tries to bring it back while trying to make it to home plate with the mayor of Goodneighbor.Mostly fluff for right now, but may have to up the rating before long.





	1. There Used to Be a Ballpark

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've written in a long long time, so I'm probably very out of practice. Apologies.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John Hancock has questions about baseball.

 

 

 

_And there used to be a ballpark_

_Where the field was warm and green_

_And the people played their crazy game_

_With a joy I'd never seen_

_And the air was such a wonder_

_From the hot-dogs and the beer_

_Yes, there used to be a ballpark right here_

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, pipboy, I got a question,” Hancock said, breaking the silence of the night so suddenly Teddy almost fell out of his chair. They were sitting together on the roof of the State House, gazing up at the stars.  Hancock liked to keep a little stash of booze and chems in an old globe bar up here.  Even in Goodneighbor one could sneak a few quiet, peaceful moments up on top of the old state house. It was a clear night and the sky seemed to be absolutely overflowing with pinpoints of light.

 

 

“Ok. Shoot.”

 

 

The Ghoul turned his lawn chair around backwards so he was straddling it and crossed his arms over the chair's back. “What was baseball really like? I know it wasn't like they say in Diamond City, with all the beating people to death and whatever.  It's just that it doesn't seem... I don't know... It doesn't seem very Old World, y'know?”

 

 

Teddy thought about how to answer. There was something about Hancock's voice.  It always had the same tone when he asked Teddy about the world before the war.  A tone that said he needed to believe that there could be anything other than this desolate hellscape.  But of course they all needed to believe in that.

 

 

“Well,” he began, looking back up at the wide belt of the Milky Way as he did so, “it wasn't violent at all.  Most of the time, anyway.  There was a player called a pitcher and he threw the ball to the batter.  Not at him or anything, just to him. And the batter tried to hit the ball as far as possible so he could run all the way around the bases. If he missed, that was a strike. Three strikes and you're out," Here Teddy paused because he could see that Hancock wasn't really looking for a history lesson.  "But..." he continued slowly, "But the real thing about baseball wasn't the rules.”

 

Mayor Hancock, who had moments ago started to look bored and maybe even like he regretted asking his question, now cocked a hairless brow up in intrigue. “Oh really? What was it then?”

 

A deep, nostalgic sigh came from the vault dweller. “Baseball was more than just a game. It was America's Pastime. You would come out to the stadium on a hot summer day and eat hotdogs and drink Nuka-Cola and cheer for the home team and... And you just felt so damn alive, especially when someone really had a great hit and the crowds would go wild. You had a favorite player and you loved that player even when they had a bad season. You and your whole family, just enjoying the game together.  Just enjoying being alive together. That's what baseball was.”

  

The silence returned for a few minutes, punctuated here and there by distant gunshots. At last, Hancock spoke again. “It sounds nice, sunshine. Too bad it's gone.”

 

Another sigh. “Yeah. Yeah, I miss it sometimes. I used to go to the stadium that Diamond City is built in all the time.”

 

 

Suddenly Teddy was aware of a too-warm hand on his shoulder.  Hancock was always so warm from the radiation in his system.  “Hey now,” came the sandpaper voice, “Don't like having your pretty face lookin' so sad.” And then that same hand had been running through his hair, settling on the back of his head, pulling him closer. “I know how to make you feel better...”

 

Teddy's heart felt like it would beat out of his chest. Hancock leaned in, so close, only a couple of inches away now. Before he realized what he was doing, Teddy had closed the gap and, oh God, he was kissing Hancock. He was struck by how rough the Ghoul's lips were, but it wasn't unpleasant. _He tastes like whiskey_ , he thought.  Then, just like that, it was over and the mayor was leaning back on his own chair again, tricorn pushed way back on his head, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. It occurred to Teddy that Hancock wouldn’t know who that was and he almost started babbling about Alice in Wonderland but thought better of it.

 

“I, um... I... That was.... Wow...” he finally managed to stammer out. Hancock's barking laugh rang out in the night.

 

 

“Glad you think so, pipboy, glad you think so. Hey, tomorrow what do you say we find us someplace to play and you teach me a little about baseball?”

 

Before Teddy could answer him, the Ghoul had passed out in his lawn chair.  "What am I gonna do with you, John?" he muttered as he picked his companion up and carried him to the mayor's office.  Gently, he laid him down on the couch and then walked back to the Rexford, feeling lonesome but happy.   _He kissed me_ , he thought, over and over again.  And as an afterthought, _I kissed him!_

 

Dawn was breaking over the Commonwealth when the vault dweller fell asleep.  He was exhausted from thinking about the logistics of teaching the forgotten art of baseball to his friends.  OK, yes, and also from a bit of fantasizing about a certain charismatic politician.

  

 

* * *

 

_Now the children try to find it_

_And they can't believe their eyes_

_'Cause the old team just isn't playing_

_And the new team hardly tries_

_And the sky has got so cloudy_

_When it used to be so clear_

_And the summer went so quickly this year_

_Yes, there used to be a ballpark right here_

 

 

 

 

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from There Used to Be a Ballpark by Frank Sinatra


	2. Take Me Out to the Ball Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sole Survivor gets a real baseball team up and running.

 

 

_Take me out to the ball game_

_Take me out to the crowd_

_Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack_

_I don't care if I never get back_

 

* * *

 

 

 

_Crack!_

 

The bat hit the leather ball with a sound like a pop of lightning as Teddy managed to send one flying way out to left field.  Well, what would have been left field if they had been playing in an actual ballpark and not an ancient empty drive-in theater.  Hancock let out a long whistle as he watched it sail through the air, tipping his tricorner hat back with his thumb.

 

“You really got a hold of that one, brother!  Knocked 'er outta the park.  Gonna be a bitch to find in all that mutfruit, though,” the Ghoul complained lightheartedly.  Teddy grinned at his friend's use of Old World slang.  The two had been going over pitching and batting for two days now and both Teddy and Hancock had to admit that the mayor of Goodneighbor had a killer fast ball.  It was hard to believe that he had picked up the skill so quickly.  It wouldn't be long before John was throwing balls Teddy couldn't hit.

 

_Stop staring at his ass_ , Teddy thought to himself.  While Hancock had been bent over searching for the baseball he hadn't been able to resist eyeing his friend's butt.  He was grateful that Hancock was still facing the other direction and so was spared Teddy's cheeks turning red as a tato. Two days ago they had shared a kiss.  Yes, it was quick and spontaneous. Yes, Hancock was drunk and high at the time. But that was how he was all the time.  And, try as he might, Teddy couldn't stop thinking that maybe there had been something more to the kiss than just bourbon and Daytripper.

 

Before he could pursue the thought further, the object of his recent affections strode up to him, ball in hand. “Found 'er,” the Ghoul said, a wide grin on his leathery face. “How many people did you say it took to play this? I wanna make someone else hunt this damn thing when you knock it into the bushes.”

 

“Oh, um, "said Teddy, forcing himself to focus, "Nine. Nine people to a team. Plus we need an umpire.”

 

A tilt of the head from his friend. “Empire?”

 

“No, no, umpire. Someone to officiate.  Like a referee.  They determine if a missed ball counts as a strike, stuff like that.”

 

“.... Empire sounds more fun.”

 

* * *

  

_Crack!_

 

Five days later and this time it was Cait knocking the tar out of the ball.  The redheaded former Raider flipped the soaring ball a quick middle finger before running for first base.  Deacon was in left field and running for the ball, holding his mitt out as far as he could.  True to form, he was the only one in a complete baseball uniform.  Nobody was sure where he had found one in such good shape.  It was all a costume to him, of course, but Teddy appreciated the effort.  The ball missed his glove by almost a foot and he dove onto it to avoid running past it.

 

"Miss Cait is certainly making an excellent dash through the bases!  Can she make it to home plate?  Or will she be tagged out?" Codsworth declared enthusiastically.  The Mr. Handy made for one hell of an announcer.

 

MacCready was ready at third base, pounding his glove with his fist.  "C'mon!  C'mon, man throw it!" he shouted at Deacon.  The skinny outfielder was already lobbing the ball as hard as he could towards him.  Cait saw it coming and dropped into a slide.  Her form was excellent, one leg stretched out far, the other tucked under, her body leaned way back to avoid MacCready's tag.  Dirt was thrown everywhere as she came to third.

 

Codsworth was in a tizzy.  "Miss Cait has arrived at third base, but was there a tag?  The dirt kicked up by her slide has made it most difficult to tell!  We shall see what the umpire says about the outcome!"

 

The dust cleared slowly.  Nick Valentine was acting as umpire and even his synthetic brain needed a moment in making the close call.  After a few moments that seemed like an eternity he stood up.

 

"Safe!"

 

* * *

 

The sun was sinking low in the sky and Teddy was sitting once again on the roof of the Old State House with Hancock.  He felt proud of himself.  In the seven days since the idea had first been presented to him, he had taught his friends, even Strong, how to play a game that hadn't been played in over two hundred years.  Nick, of course, already knew how and in fact knew the rules better than Teddy himself.  Codsworth had also known the rules but preferred to fill the role of broadcaster.  Teddy had also managed to find a mostly intact baseball field and gotten it back into usable condition.  They had a real place to play now.  He wondered if maybe this wasn't really something to feel accomplished about.  Still, he couldn't help but glow with pride thinking about how much he had done in a week.  Piper had even talked of adding a real sports section to the paper.  Almost all of Diamond City wanted in on the game; even Moe from Swatters wanted to play actual baseball and not his more violent version.  Well, maybe he wanted to do both, but it was still impressive.  Goodneighbor had two or three teams forming already as well.

 

"I brought ya another beer," said a voice like gavel on satin.  Gratefully, Teddy took the bottle that Hancock offered.  It was ice cold and he thought about how glad he was to have found that Drinking Buddy brewing machine.  Cold beer was something he had taken so for granted before the war and it felt like a godsend now.  The two popped the caps off the beers and clinked them together like one would clink champaign glasses.

 

"To a great game!" Hancock said with a smile.

 

"To baseball!" Teddy replied tipping his bottle back.

 

Hancock downed his beer faster than some people could have downed a shot of liquor.  Then he pulled a little inhaler from his frock coat's pocket.  He took a long pull of Jet and sank down into his seat, producing a second inhaler and offering it to his companion.  In years gone by Teddy probably would have refused the chem, but the world had changed so much that he didn't mind.  Plus using chems gave him a good reason to spend time with Hancock.  He took a pull and leaned back, feeling the world slow down.  Every muscle seemed to relax at once.  The high was intense but enjoyable.

 

After a minute or so they were coming down from the Jet and Hancock retrieved another beer.  They were both feeling pleasantly buzzed even though Hancock had drank probably four more beers than Teddy.  He could drink anyone under the table.  The mayor produced two cigarettes lit them both, taking a drag and then handing one to Teddy.

 

The Milky Way seemed to look much bigger now, with so much less light pollution from big cities.   _Thank God for small favors_ , thought the vault dweller as he looked out into the infinity of the sky.  Every time they were up here Teddy was struck by just how beautiful the stars were.  Moreover he was always left wondering why he had never noticed how amazing the heavens were before he was frozen in the vault.  Just one more thing he had taken for granted.  He looked at his friend sitting next to him.   _He looks so sexy when he's smoking_ , came the not entirely unwelcome thought. He sighed softly and thought about all the things he had taken for granted.

 

Hancock had noticed him staring.   _Damn_.

 

"Well, I know I'm good looking, but this is a bit much, " the Ghoul laughed, and his laugh was sandpaper on silk.

 

Teddy took a long drag from his cigarette and snubbed it out on the rooftop.  He exhaled and tried to steel himself for what he wanted to do.  It was now or never.  Teddy stood up from his lawn chair.  Gently he took one of Hancock's rough, leathery hands in his.  With dismay he watched the grin fade from his friend's face.  

 

"Teddy," Hancock said, concerned, "you're drunk, brother."

 

"Yes," came the reply and Teddy prayed it sounded as decisive as it did in his head, "I am.  But I know that I feel this way when I'm sober, too.  I know that I want to hold your hand when I'm sober.  I know that..." here he swallowed hard, "I know that I want to kiss you when I'm sober.  But I never have the guts.  And I've been taking you for granted.  Just like I always took everything good in my old life for granted.  This is the Commonwealth.  Nothing is guaranteed.  So now, while I've got the nerve, I have to let you know.  You need to know how much it means to me to be traveling with you.  How much I like spending time with you.  How much I want to kiss you again."

 

The Cheshire Cat grin was on his face again, but Hancock's words were sad.  "Now, look, love.  You don't want to wake up to this ugly mug every morning.  Never wished that on anyone I cared about.  I'm not exactly easy on the eyes."  He had been going to say more, but Teddy had pulled him close and the words caught in his throat.  For a few seconds they stood there, so close one could feel the other's breath.  Electricity seemed to fill the tiny space left between them.  Finally, Teddy pulled the Ghoul into a kiss.  Time seemed to pass like they were still on Jet.

 

thirty seconds passed that seemed like a lifetime, and they pulled away from one another.  Hancock let out a quiet sigh as Teddy affectionately stroked his deeply pockmarked cheek.  "John, stop being so hard on yourself.  I care about you.  A lot."

 

The Ghoul simply couldn't suppress a giggle.  "Well, then, sunshine...  Those molerats we fought the other day must really get you hot if I'm your type."

 

Pedestrians could hear their laughter from the other side of Goodneighbor.

 

* * *

 

_And we'll root, root. root for the home team_

_If they don't win it's a shame_

_Cause it's one, two, three strikes, you're out_

_At the old ball game!_

 

 

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game by Jack Norworth and Albert von Tilzer. 
> 
> I don't actually know much about baseball, so I hope this reads ok to anyone who is actually a fan.


	3. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drinking, dancing, and baseball metaphors, oh my!

_I wandered around_

_And finally found_

_The somebody who_

_Could make me be true_

_Could make me feel blue_

_And even be glad_

_Just to be sad_

_Thinking of you_

 

* * *

"That was Betty Hutton with It Had to Be You.  I'm Travis "Lonely" Miles and you're listening to the Commonwealth's only request hour, The Ninth Inning, on Diamond City Radio.  Want to send in a request?  Drop by the studio and leave us a card, then tune in at midnight.  That last song was requested by our anonymous friend, the Wanderer, and as usual it was dedicated to Z.  Folks, I don't know who Z is but they must be pretty special to the Wanderer.  If you've been tuning in lately then you know they've dedicated a request to them every night this week.  And now for a change of pace, here's Shake, Rattle, and Roll sung by Bill Haley and his Comets requested by Daisy over in Goodneighbor," Travis's voice came in sounding tinny over the piece of shit radio.  Teddy was struck by just how smooth his friend had gotten.  Not long ago, the disk jockey had been a nervous wreck.  But things had changed and he had been part of that.  It was strange to think of.  He wasn't sure if Travis recognized his handwriting, but he did always play "the Wanderer's" requests.  He twisted a knob and the radio clicked off, leaving thick silence behind.

Before long he was pouring himself a glass of whiskey and lighting a cigar.  Anytime he could find them, he always preferred cigars to cigarettes.  Old habits die hard.  The one-time vault dweller hung his head and sighed.  "How long are we going to keep playing this game, John," he mumbled to himself.  Two kisses.  Was that what this was going to be?  A kiss here and there when they were drunk?  Hell, what did he even want it to be?

"Drinkin' without me?  I'm hurt, brother," a voice like cotton full of grit.  Unmistakable.  Hancock stood in the doorway at Home Plate, leaning against the door jam.  The Ghoul laughed and sauntered up to where Teddy sat at his homemade bar. He clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, "C'mon, why don't we get out of this town.  Nick said you'd be here, but, eh, this place's charms wear out pretty fast, yknow?  What with that nifty 'no Ghouls allowed' policy and all.  We could go to the State House."

Teddy downed his whiskey.  Hancock had already made himself a drink like he owned the place, but Teddy didn't mind.  How much of Hancock's booze had he drank for free?  "Let's go to the Third Rail, instead."

* * *

"I'm a little short of caps, but I'm a good, good neighbor," Magnolia was crooning in the bar.  As beautiful as Mags was, all eyes were on Hancock as he and Teddy entered the smoke filled room.  Lots of whispers.  Teddy caught bits and pieces, scraps of conversation.

"Didn't know the Mayor was in town.  I better scram."

"Hey, that's that new smoothskin flavor-of-the-week of his."

"Look, he's got his arm around his shoulder."

It was irritating being talked about.  Admittedly, it was a little thrilling, too.  People were gossiping about him.  He'd give them something to gossip about, alright.  Teddy reached down and patted Hancock on the butt and none too lightly.  Gasps and giggles from the room and a huge grin from John.   _Good_.

"Well, you sure seem to be in a good mood, brother.  Hey, Chuck!" the Ghoul called to Whitechapel Charlie, the cockney  Mr. Handy who served as barkeep, "Give us a couple shots of the good shit!"

"Straight away, 'guv!" said the robot as his many arms whirled around fetching shot glasses and what appeared to be very good tequila.  In an instant he had deftly poured two perfect shots and sat them before the companions.  Hancock had his downed in an instant; Teddy was right behind.

Three more shots came and now the room was spinning.  Teddy felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to face his friend who seemed none the worse for the wear.   _Bastard_.  A radiation scarred hand patted his cheek gently.

"Here," was all Hancock said, but Teddy opened his mouth obediently anyway, willing to take whatever chems Hancock was giving him.  He recognized the taste of Mentats and soon the room was spinning less.  He was feeling bold.  Very bold.  Bold enough to do this in public?  Maybe...

He leaned in, wanting to kiss the Ghoul.  Was he leaning in, too?  Closer.  Only a breath away.

"Yeah, Mags, get it!  You're killer, babe, don't ever change!" The song had ended and Hancock was cheering for Magnolia.  Of course.  Teddy leaned on the bar, sullen.   _I'll kill him_ , he thought miserably.

Not long after that Teddy had elected to walk over to his usual room at the Hotel Rexford.  "By yourself?  I'll go with ya.  Wouldn't want anything to eat ya on the way there," Hancock laughed, but Teddy pushed his hand away.  He was in a bad mood and just wanted to go sleep it off.  "Ok, brother, no big deal.  You do you," the Ghoul said but Teddy could tell he had hurt him a little.   _Good.  Serves him right_ , bitter thoughts, true, but he felt bitter as hell.  This shit was all just a game to John.   _Fuck that._

"Hey, Chuck," Hancock said as the vault dweller left the bar.

"Yes, Mayor Hancock?"

"Just bring me the fucking bottle, ok?"

"Right-o, old chap."

* * *

It was well past noon when Hancock woke up, still in the Third Rail.  Chuck never threw him out.  His head was pounding.  How much had he drank if he had managed to actually get hungover?  Too much.  "Ah, Hancock are you ever gonna learn? What the hell are you so scared of anyway?" he grumbled to himself, his aching head in his hands.

"Mayor Hancock, we're about to be opening, if ya don't mind me sayin'," the robot bartender's cockney accent came from across the room.

"Yeah, yeah, Chuck, I'm headed out."   And with that, he was headed to the State House, the place where he could close off the world and sulk in peace.

* * *

Hours passed.  Hancock had been nursing his hangover with Mentats and more booze.  It was a good combination and he had just had a couple of hits of Jet when he realized it was getting dark.  Sunset frequently brought Teddy to the State House roof. _What the hell are you even running from?  You're crazy about the boy, anyone could see that_ , the voice in his head sounded loud and angry.  Tired.  Tired of fucking running away from everything that was good.  Tired of telling himself he didn't deserve anything this nice.

He climbed the old fire escape ladder that led up to the roof.  The Ghoul's heart jumped into his throat at what he saw.  Teddy was already here, on his usual lawn chair, a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other.   _Hot damn, he's too good for me_ , came the thought, but he forced it aside.

"Hey, John, thought you might be up here eventually," Teddy said without turning around and it caught Hancock off guard.  Unknown to him, Teddy had been popping Mentats all night and felt aware of everything.

"Hey, brother," Hancock managed even though he was a little startled, "It's always nicer up here with you."

For a while the two just sat and watched the sunset.  It was tinted green which meant a rad storm would probably be on the way tomorrow.  The usual noise of the city clattered and clanged below, but the roof was always peaceful.  At last, the green-orange sun sank below the horizon, and the stars began to peek out in the darkening sky.

"John," Teddy said, loosely aware that he had started using his friend's first name more often.

"Hmm?"

"There's something else about baseball I wanted to tell you about.  Way back, before the war, we used to use baseball to talk about stuff without other people knowing.  Dirty stuff," he wiggled his eyebrows in a silly, suggestive way as he said the last part.

"Oh?  Do tell," the mayor said, leaning closer, propping his chin up on his hands.

"Well, we would say how far around the bases we had gotten, but we were really talking about how far we had gone with a person in bed.  Do you wanna know what first base was?"

Hancock laughed a little, but his eyes were heavy lidded and his voice was low, "Show me, vault boy."

Teddy had been thinking about this all afternoon.  Hell, he had practically been rehearsing it.  Now here they were, up on the roof of the Old State House and kissing again.   _Finally_ , he thought as he slipped his tongue into Hancock's mouth.  The mayor's own tongue met his and he was almost surprised by how rough it was.  Almost.  He leaned over in his lawn chair and almost fell out while he pulled Hancock closer.  A hand was on his thigh, but he put his own over it and stopped it.  "Nuh-uh... That's second base, babe," he broke the kiss to say, smiling.  Hancock laughed again and leaned in to kiss him some more, obediently taking his roaming hand back.  "Good boy," Teddy breathed and Hancock smiled into the kiss that followed.

* * *

Making out was fun.  Hot damn, it was fun.  They kissed and talked and kissed some more for hours.  The radio had been playing the whole time but they had paid it little mind.  Suddenly, though, Teddy became very aware of what the DJ was saying.

"That's right, listeners," Travis spoke with such a calm tone now it was hard to recognize his voice if you had known him before, "it's midnight again and that means it's time for The Ninth Inning, the Commonwealth's only request hour.  Let's start things off with our oh-so-faithful anonymous friend, the Wanderer.  As always, they dedicate this song to the equally mysterious Z.  Here it is, the Penguins singing Earth Angel."

Teddy stood bolt upright, pulling Hancock up with him.

"What gives?" the mayor asked.

"Do you know how to dance, John?"  the question was shakier than he had hoped, but maybe it still sounded solid.

Cheshire Cat grin as always.  He had caught on.  Hancock was willing to try anything once.  "Nope.  But I bet you can teach me, can't ya, pipboy?"

Gently, Teddy took Hancock's right hand and put it on his waist.  Next, he put his own hand on John's right shoulder and finally took the Ghoul's left hand in his right.  They swayed slowly to the doo-wop that played in the warm night air.  They were pressed close and Teddy nuzzled into the radiation damaged neck of his companion.  "Ok, now lead but pay attention to where my feet go," he murmured into what was left of Hancock's ear.  The other man went stiff for a moment but he picked up quickly.  Before the song ended they were making a simple box together, dancing like teenagers at a homecoming ball.

Hancock pressed his forehead to Teddy's as the song faded out and was replaced by Frank Sinatra singing I Only Have Eyes For You.  "It's me, isn't it?" he said with his eyes closed.  They hadn't stopped swaying together.

"Hmm?"

"Y'know.  The Wanderer?  That's you, right?  And Z is for Zombie.  I said that the day we first met, that I had a sexy 'King of the Zombies' look.  You been dedicating all those sappy love songs to me every night?"  Hancock asked as he lay his head on Teddy's shoulder.

Old Blue Eyes sang on and they continued to dance together, Teddy pulling Hancock around the rooftop although the latter was technically leading.  He looked away.  "It was stupid," he said quietly.

"What? No," the mayor stopped and put his hand on his companion's chin, turning his head to look at him.  "No, I loved it! You know how to make a Ghoul feel special.  Listen, I've been kind of an ass.  I've been jerking you around and I can tell you want more than just a few drunken kisses here and there.   Moments like this, I know all that karma stuff is bull.  Because no one like me should be this lucky."

"So, what, are we an item now?" Teddy joked.

John's laugh was always a gruff barking sound.  He leaned over to turn the radio up and spun his dance partner, which was pretty bold for someone who had never really danced.  "C'mon, love," he purred, "let's get this freakshow on the road."

* * *

_For nobody else_

_Gave me a thrill_

_With all your faults_

_I love you still_

_It had to be you_

_Wonderful you_

_It had to be you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from It Had to Be You originally by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn


End file.
